Materia Mishap
by Taoroo
Summary: Another AU story Angeal is the guardian of both Zack 14  and Cloud 12  living in Midgar. Spanking in later chapters  Who would have guessed!
1. Chapter 1

_Story 2 in the AU where Angeal is the guardian of Zack (14) and Cloud (12) living together in Midgar.  
><em>

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><p>'Hey Cloud, I'm back!' Zack banged open the front door to the house that he shared with his guardian Angeal and his adoptive brother Cloud, slamming it shut behind him with his usual enthusiasm. 'Hey, where are ya?' He searched through the house and then headed into the back yard where he spotted his younger brother standing with his back toward him, facing a cardboard cut out of a Wutai soldier, its face drawn into a monstrous scowl.<p>

'Hey, defeating the rebels again little brother?'

Cloud jumped at the sound of the elder boy's voice, spinning around, his arms reaching around to hide something behind his back.

Zack's brow furrowed in concern, it wasn't the first time that the little warrior had found something dangerous to play with. 'Hey, what you got there?' he asked. 'If you're messing around with 'Geal's good dinner knives again he'll ground you for a month.'

'It's not that!' Cloud blurted, stepping back from his brother. The boy's baby face could never hide a lie and guilt was written all over it right now.

'Cloud...' Zack menaced.

'It's nothing!' Cloud snapped. 'Stupid piece'a junk don't work anyhow!' he lifted up whatever was in his hand and made to throw it down.

'Stop!' Zack shouted, realising what the thing was as the boy's hand came down, he rushed forwards, prising the rock from Cloud's hand. 'Hey, where'd you get this?' he demanded, staring down at the shining materia.

'Found it on the floor,' Cloud pouted. 'I thought it was some cool weapon but it doesn't do anything!' he looked sidelong at Zack. 'Heey, do you know how it works, big bro?'

'Like I'd tell you!' Zack said in alarm. 'This is probably one of Angeal's; he'd go crazy if he knew you'd been playing around with it!'

'You're not going to tell him, are you?' Cloud asked, his blue eyes misting over with crocodile tears.

'Like heck!' Zack said, always ready to protect his little brother. 'But you've got to promise me never to touch any materia you find, ok? You come find me or 'Geal and we'll deal with it.'

'I'm not a baby, Zack!' Cloud snapped. 'Sheesh, I'm twelve years old already!'

Zack snorted. For a fourteen year old like himself he thought that twelve years was very young, definitely much too young to be messing with materia. 'Whatever, baby, stop acting like a brat or else I really will tell Angeal.'

'I'm not a baby!' Cloud shouted. 'You're just too chicken to use materia, some SOLDIER you are!'

'I am not!' Zack snapped. 'I use materia all the time!'

'Like what?'

Zack blushed causing his younger brother to laugh. 'You've never even seen material up close before!'

'So?' Zack demanded. It was true, 3rd class SOLDIER operatives like Zack were encouraged to use their own physical and mental abilities over the enhancing effects of material. The only one he'd ever come close to was the cure materia that his instructors used when the trainees got themselves too badly beat up. He huffed, crossing his arms defiantly. 'You know we shouldn't be touching Angeal's materia,' he repeated. 'I'm going to put it back.' He span around, heading back to the house.

'Bawk, bawwwk!' Cloud shouted after him, tucking his hands into his armpits and flapping them up and down comically. 'Zack's chicken!'

'Shut up, you big baby!' Zack shouted back, stamping his foot crossly.

'I might be a baby but _you're_ a big ol' chicken!' Cloud laughed.

'I'll show you who's chicken!' Zack yelled, running back and diving on his younger brother. They rolled in the grass for a while, Zack quickly getting the upper hand.

'Prove it!' Cloud said, his voice muffled by the ground Zack was currently grinding his face into. 'Prove you're not a chicken!'

'Fine!' Zack snapped, jumping up and thrusting his hand out, still with the material held in his fist.

The cardboard Wutai rebel grimaced back at him, completely untouched.

Beside him, Could sniggered. 'You can't do it!'

'Sure I can,' Zack said, turning back to the effigy and concentrating with all his might.

After a moment of tense quiet Cloud poked his head up next to his brother, his lips pursed critically. 'Do you even know what materia type it is?' he asked sceptically.

'Of course I do!' Zack snorted. 'It's red, right. That means it's a fire materia.' He thrust out his arm once more but it did nothing.

'Come on, let me try!' Cloud said eagerly, reaching out to snatch the crystal from his older brother.

'Hey, don't touch!' Zack said, pulling back. They struggled until suddenly the material flew out of their hands. Both boy's gasped, making a dive for the crystal but it stayed suspended in the air. As they watched from their landing spot on the ground, the materia rose into the air, beginning to shoot out light as a great shadow began to grow from it.

'Wh- what's happening?' Cloud stammered.

Zack shook his head mutely, staring in horror as the thing grew larger than the house. People were beginning to notice, screams and sounds of panic coming from the street outside.

The shadow began to take shape, twisting into the form of a giant dragon that looked down on the people of the city and roared defiantly. It looked up and began to flap its wings, rising high in the sky as the backdraught from the wings knocked tiles off roofs and pushed carts across the street into the side of houses.

'What do we do?' Cloud screamed above the noise.

'Go get Angeal!' Zack shouted, draggin the younger boy into the house and pushing him toward the front door. He grabbed his training back from where he'd dumped it in the hall and took out his bokkan.

'You're not going to fight it are you?' Cloud asked in horror.

'That's a summon, Cloud,' Zack said desperately as they ran into the street. 'I might be able to control it. If not then at least I can draw it's attacks away from any of the citizens until Angeal gets here.' He looked with desperate eyes down at the boy as behind him the dargon roared. 'Hurry!'

Angeal sprinted towards the lower city, his heart in his mouth as he tried to push his terrified thoughts from his mind. Again and again he saw two boys, one blond and one raven haired, lying dead at the feet of Bahamut, the beast's monstrous form rising above the city like a nightmare. How could he have been so stupid as to drop his materia? He looked down at the buster sword in his hand, the one empty slot staring at him accusingly, one hinge slightly bent. He should have taken better care of the sword, if only he'd checked this morning none of this would have happened. He redoubled his pace as the thing roared, diving down amidst the houses, scattering chimneys with his massive wings. It was following something; at least whatever it was was heading for the outskirts of the city.

Angeal skidded onto the main street and saw instantly what the summon was chasing, his heart stopping for an instant as he watched the dark haired youth running and jumping his way towards the city gates, a wooden training sword in one hands, the other clutching the sword arm as if it were injured.

'Angeal!' It was Cloud, sprinting towards him as fast as he could, tear of terror welled in his eyes but not yet falling over. 'Angeal, it's Zack!'

The dragon roared.

Zack stumbled, getting to his feet quickly, panting for breath. His right arm was still numb with the force that he had struck the summon's claw, but at least it had the desired effect of drawing the creature's attention.

The silence behind him made him turn fearfully, worried that the dragon had fixed on some other target. What he saw made his mouth go dry and his legs weaken. The creature's mouth was open wide and from it a giant ball of glowing energy was growing. There was no way that he could escape the beam. He was dead.

He was going to die.

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><p><em>Lol cliffhanger!<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_Part 2 of my AU fic._

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><p>Zack fell to his knees, the sword dropping from his hand as he stared at the creature. The light from the beam intensified until it was so brilliant that he was almost blinded and then all the world's sound stopped as a high pitched note signalled the end.<p>

The beam shot out, heading straight towards him. Halfway through its arc a dark shape warped into view and the beam hit it, the light flashing brilliantly enough to blind him for a moment.

After the silence had gone on for a while Zack realised that he wasn't dead. He looked at the dark shape before him and it slowly materialised into the form of Angeal, running towards him, his face a grim mask.

Zack let out his breath, collapsing forwards onto his arms, his whole body shaking. He felt himself snatched up, Angeal's large hands clutching him to his chest and then running all over him, checking for wounds.

'Are you ok?' Angeal asked, his voice tight with strain. 'Are you hurt?'

Zack shook his head mutely and the man breathed out a giant sigh of relief, clutching the back of the boy's head and bringing their foreheads together. 'You scared the hell out of me, kid.' He wrapped Zack up in a hug and held him there for a long time before finally pulling him away to arm's length.

'Zack, I'm so proud of you. You acted like a true member of SOLDIER.'

Zack's heart constricted tightly and tears sprang up into his eyes, he gulped back a sob, shaking his head. 'Don't,' he begged, 'please, Angeal, please don't say that.'

'Hey, it's ok, kiddo,' Angeal said, pulling the boy into another hug. 'I get it, it's ok to be frightened.'

Zack shook his head violently, pushing the man away. 'No,' he said, tears beginning to fall. 'Please, 'Geal, I don't deserve it.'

As Angeal looked in confusion at the boy Cloud came running up, his pace slowing to a hesitant walk as he realised that Zack and Angeal were both unharmed and his guilt began to resurface.

Zack looked up into Angeal's worried eyes and the tear began to fall, he gasped, sobbing uncontrollably, bringing his hands up to rub unsuccessfully at his eyes.

Cloud, lifted a hand to rub his arm anxiously, biting his lip for good measure. 'Er... Angeal,' he said, his voice tiny.

Angeal looked from one boy to the other and realisation began to dawn. He passed a hand over his eyes, pushing down his anger for now and then stood, scooping up Zack and carrying him like a child, the boy still weeping bitterly into his shoulder. He held out a hand and Cloud took it, grateful for the closeness that the action brought them.

'Mr Hewley!' A woman accosted the trio as they reached the front of their house. She was dressed in Turk uniform, her hair scraped back into a severe knot, a pair of thick glasses resting on a sharp nose, her eyes behind them hard and unforgiving. Every time Angeal met her he was incredulous that Tseng could have such a fierce older sister, although it went very far to explaining the man's serious personality.

'Ah, Miss Tsenga, nice to see you again,' Angeal said with brittle-false civility.

'Not really,' the woman snapped, following the man as he made his way up the stairs.

Angeal sighed, letting go of Cloud's hand to hold the door open for the woman who strode inside without a backwards glance. She rounded on the SOLDIER as soon as the door was closed behind them.

'Mr Hewley, intelligence states that the summon that almost destroyed the city just now was from your collection,' he said sharply, snapping open a folder to read from a file and then glaring coldly at the man.

Angeal nodded silently, setting Zack down and turning the boy towards the living room. 'Zack, you and Cloud go wait for me inside.'

'I said-' Tsenga began.

'I heard you,' Angeal said calmly. 'Yes. Bahamut is a summon materia I own. It is attached to one of the slots of my buster sword, the clasp was loose and it fell out. I accept full responsibility for the incident.'

Tsenga's eyes flashed triumphantly. 'So you admit that you irresponsibly let a dangerous weapon come into the hands of innocent children?'

'Who says that any children found the materia?' Angeal countered.

Tsenga arched a carefully manicured brow. 'Oh come now, Mr Hewley. You are a... vaguely intelligent man. Surely you have come to understand what must have happened today.'

Angeal's eyes flickered to the two boys, who sat on the edge of the sofa, watching the exchange with large, scared eyes.

'Mr Hewley, the conditions of your guardianship are clear,' Tsenga said haughtily. 'You are responsible for the well being of these children, for their safety and their care. You irresponsibly let a powerful weapon fall into their hands, which they then unknowingly activated, summoning a monster capable of not only ending their lives but those of the entire populace of Midgar.'

A sob came from the sofa and Angeal saw that this time it was Cloud who had broken. He glared at the Turk before him but before he could reply she continued.

'Your actions today have raised serious doubts about your capabilities in caring for these two children. When I return to the department I shall recommend that they be placed under custody until a full analysis of your aptitude be conducted.'

'Wait!' Zack jumped up from his position comforting Cloud, running up and standing between the woman and his guardian, his red-rimmed eyes blazing. 'Don't do that, Angeal's a great dad! Don't you say he isn't!'

'Zack,' Angeal said in warning, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Miss Tsenga looked down forbiddingly at the boy. 'Do not speak of things for which you do not have the complete data,' she said snippily.

'Speak for yourself,' Zack retorted. 'You said we didn't know what we were doing with the materia, well we... _I_ did!'

'Are you saying that you activated the summon on purpose?' Tsenga asked incredulously.

Zack bit his lip, acutely aware of Angeal's presence behind him. He could almost feel the disappointment radiating off the man. 'Well... I didn't know it was a summon... I thought it was a fire materia,' he said lamely.

'And you deliberately tried to use it?' the Turk demanded.

'Why?'

'I dunno,' Zack said, ducking his head and shuffling his feet. 'I thought I'd be cool, I guess.'

'You thought that using a powerful materia of unknown properties would be... _cool_?' Tsenga said, her face betraying her shocked disapproval.

'Uh huh...' Zack said, his heart sinking, but he glared at the woman defiantly. 'Angeal's always taught us not to touch his weapons or to mess with dangerous things. It's not his fault I didn't listen!'

There was a quiet pause as the two glared at one another, then Zack winced as Angeal drew in deep breath behind him, letting it out slowly.

'Miss Tsenga, as I have said, I take full responsibility for what happened today. Make whatever report you think just,' he said. 'Right now, I have two scared and exhausted young boys to take care of.' He stepped back, opening the door and standing aside.

The Turk raised her chin to look down her long at the SOLDIER elite. 'As you say,' she said primly, stalking past the man. 'I shall return.'

The sound of the door closing was like the hammering of the final nail in the coffins of Cloud Strife and Zack Fair. The elder boy stepped back from their guardian, shuffling to stand next to Cloud, taking the younger boy's hand comfortingly.

Angeal stood, his hands on his hip and his head bent, contemplating the floor for some time. Then he looked up, the sky-blue of his eyes boring into the pair. 'I want you both upstairs and in bed in five minutes,' he said calmly. 'And I don't want to hear a peep out of either of you until supper, got it?'

'But I'm not-' Zack started.

'Now.' Angeal didn't shout, he didn't have to, the word was enough.

The boys jumped up and ran mutely out of the room, clattering upstairs, the door to the bedroom they shared slamming shut behind them.

Angeal let out his pent up breath, stepping back until the wall of the hall met his back and then sliding down it in exhaustion.

Zack stared at the bedroom wall groggily. He hadn't thought that he could possibly sleep when he and Cloud hand first come up, the stress of the day pumping adrenaline around his body, keeping his heart hammering in his chest. But the moment his head had hit the pillow his eyes had grown heavy and it wasn't long before he had drifted off into unconsciousness.

A sound behind him made him turn over and he watched as Angeal bent over his brother. Their guardian's battle-scarred hand gently stroked the golden hair from the boy's face as he slept, the other tucking the sheets up under his chin. Then the man straightened and turned, his eyes connecting with Zack's before he thought about pretending to be asleep. The man said nothing, crossing the room and kneeling by Zack's bedside, tucking the sheets up around him.

'Ang-' Zack began, his voice hitching in his throat.

'Shh,' Angeal cut him off, tucking a stray hair behind his head. At any other time the teenager would have resented this intimacy from his idol but just now he accepted it gratefully. 'Go back to sleep.'

'Are you mad?'

'As hell,' Angeal grinned, running his hand down the boy's cheek and pinching it a little. He gave Zack a cheery wink. 'Get back to sleep, kid.'

'I'm sorry, 'Geal,' Zack said, already half asleep.

'I know,' Angeal stroked the boy's hair, waiting until he had fallen back asleep before leaving the room.

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><p><em>Hnnng. Every time I wrote the word "materia" msword would auto correct an "l" on the end! Hope you enjoyed the sugary sweetness. Also apologies for Tsenga, she was totally just a bitch character I invented on the fly!<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_Part 3: The conclusion to my second AU ff7 fic._

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><p>Angeal was in the kitchen when the two boys shuffled downstairs some hours later. It was already dark outside and their guardian had closed the shutters and lit the lamps. The room was cosy and smelt of hot cakes, the boys' favourite snack from Angeal's admittedly limited cooking skills.<p>

Cloud and Zack took their places at the table quietly, watching as the man busied himself around the stove, humming quietly as he worked. Presently three matching plates sat on the table, laden with hotcakes with butter melting on top. Jam and honey sat in the middle of the table.

After a slow start the atmosphere began to warm, smiles eventually breaking on the boy's faces. The meal was silent as many of them were in the house; a comfortable silence born from familiarity. Once the boy's had eaten their fill they cleared the table without being asked. Angeal watched as the pair washed and dried the dishes and pans, putting everything away in it's right place and then wiping the table clean of crumbs. When they were done then stood before him, the mood growing tense once more.

Angeal sat, one leg hitched over so that the ankle rested on the other, an arm lying on the back of the chair and the other drumming on the table. He contemplated the two miscreants, judging from their looks which held the most guilt. He eventually decided on the younger of the two.

'Cloud first.'

Zack's head instantly shot up from its previous contemplation of the floor. 'It was all my fault, 'Geal, Cloud had nothing to do with it!'

Angeal gave the boy a stern glare and raised a finger. 'That's one,' he said in warning.

Zack lapsed into silence, chewing his lip as Cloud began his story.

'I was doing my chores, sweeping the hall and I found the materia in one of the corners,' he said, 'it must have rolled there after falling out on your way to work this morning or something.'

Angeal nodded, there was no lie so far but he didn't hold out hope for all the tale.

'I took it into the garden and...' Cloud pursed his lips, not wanting to confess but knowing he had to, '...and I tried to use it on the Wutai.'

'Wutai?'

'A cardboard monster he made,' Zack supplied.

Angeal gave the older boy another hard look but let it slide this time. 'Go on,' he said to Cloud.

'Well, that's when Zack arrived,' Cloud said. 'He was awful mad that I had the materia. He took it off me right away and said I shouldn't be playing with it.' Cloud looked at their guardian desperately, pleading his brother's case. 'I tried to get it back offa him, and we dropped it, and then it started shining, and the next thing was that giant dragon appeared!'

The last sentence was said in a rush; this was Cloud's typical tactic when he knew he was stretching the truth and wanted to get it done with before anyone noticed. Angeal noticed and so did Zack who tried not to let it show on his face.

'Tell me again what happened when Zack took the materia from you,' Angeal said levelly.

Cloud's breathing quickened slightly under the stern gaze. 'I tried to get it off him.'

'And what happened before that?'

Cloud stared at the man, clamming up under the scrutiny. Angeal opened his mouth, ready to try again.

'I called him a baby and then I punched him,' Zack said quickly, seeing that Angeal was in no mood for stalling.

'Only 'cause I called you a chicken!' Cloud retorted and then pinched his lips shut.

'That's two, Zack,' Angeal said flatly, raising another finger and keeping his eyes on the boy until he ducked his head, shamed. 'And then what?' he returned his attention to the younger boy.

'I... told him to prove he wasn't a chicken,' Cloud said.

'Was that before or after the fight?'

'...'

'Cloud,' Angeal said, a warning tone creeping into his voice.

'...after,' the boy admitted.

'And what did Zack do?'

Cloud looked over at Zack, giving him an apologetic look before saying. 'He tried to use the materia on the Wutai. But nothing happened,' he added hurriedly. 'That's when I tried to get it off him and it fell and the dragon came.'

Angeal stayed staring at the boy for a while and then turned to Zack. 'Is what Cloud said a true account of what happened?'

Zach nodded, not meeting the man's eyes. 'Yeah, pretty much.'

'Anything he missed out?'

Zack shook his head. 'No, Angeal.'

'Who threw the first punch?'

'I did.'

Without a word Angeal lifted a third finger. Zack swallowed nervously, his eyes creased in regret.

Angeal contemplated the boys for a long moment and then let out a heavy sigh, looking at Zack.

'In the corner, kiddo.'

As Zack obeyed Angeal turned to his younger ward. He lifted the boy's chin and gave him a lopsided smile.

'I'm not going to waste our time telling you what you did was wrong,' he said calmly. 'I know you know that very well. So let's just skip to the part where I'm just sure as hell glad neither of you were hurt.'

Could sniffed, nodding silently, tears welling in his eyes. Angeal pulled the boy into a deep hug, clutching his head and resting his own cheek on the golden hair.

'You did the right thing coming to find me,' he said.

From his place in the corner Zack listened as Cloud's tears intensified. There was the sound of shifting fabric and movement and then a pause as Angeal got Cloud into position. Zack bit hand on his lower lip, focusing on a smudge on the wall as the first *SMACK* rang out, followed by a yelp from his brother. Another one followed and more after that. Tears sprang into Zacks own eyes and he lost count of the number of times he heard Angeal's hand landing against Cloud's bare behind, the boy's cries slowly fading into deep hiccupping sobs and pleas for forgiveness.

Angeal's hand finally stopped and he pulled Cloud's clothes back into place, giving him another long hug before turning him around. 'Corner, buddy,' he instructed with a gentle push to propel him into the opposite corner to Zack.

'Zack.'

The other boy scrunched his eyes tight and then let out a deep breath, turning and coming up in front of Angeal, still sitting in the chair.

'I'm real sorry,' he blurted out.

Angeal smiled. 'I know,' he said. 'And what I said earlier today still stands. I'm proud of what you did, leading Bahamut away like that. You risked your own life to save others and that is a deed worthy of a SOLDIER warrior.'

A tight, hot lump rose and stuck in Zack's throat and he ducked his head, ashamed to be receiving praise from his idol in such a fashion. His hands came up and undid the buttons of his trousers, pushing them down and then moving to place himself over the man's lap. Angeal stopped him, a hand on his arm. He smiled at the boy knowingly.

'You don't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself, remember that,' he said as the boy blushed at his words. 'Don't doubt yourself into doing what other people say... even if it's your little brother. Trust in yourself. _That_ is a SOLDIER operative's honour.'

Then Angeal pulled Zack over his knees, waiting until the boy was in position before drawing his boxers down to his knees. Zack blushed bright crimson at the treatment, gripping the leg of the chair tightly as his guardian raised his hand and brought it down hard on his backside.

Angeal didn't believe in warm up swats, he went full force from the start, peppering Zack's bottom with a flurry of spanks that covered its entire surface. Zack kept silent at first, focusing on the dust on the floor and the pattern of the kitchen tiles which he methodically began to count. A particularly hard swat brought him back to what was happening above him, Angeal was in no mood for daydreaming. As was usual at this point, Zack began to relive the events that had brought him to this moment, the guilt washing over him with each fresh dose of pain from his guardian's hand. Tears began to fall silently from him, the heat from his bottom radiating all the way to the tight knot in his stomach that still refused to unwind. The hot cakes from earlier were still uncomfortably present and he tried to push the thought of it down. Angeal's hot cakes. He'd cooked their favourite treat for them, stroked their hair and tucked them in to sleep... after everything they'd done. They'd disobeyed him, almost gotten themselves and half of Midgar killed. The image of a black shadow jumping between him and a white beam of light flashed into his mind's eye. Angeal had fought the summon. He could have been seriously hurt or killed! And Cloud, he had been close by too. Zack heart constricted at the thought of losing the two most precious things in his life and finally the knot began to unravel. Zack hitched a deep, agonised sob and then began to bawl, no cried or sniffles in between, from stoic to blubbering mess in mere seconds.

'I'm sorry,' he sobbed, grabbing Angeal's leg and holding it as if the man would disappear. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!'

The arms around his waist tightened; Angeal had heard him, he understood.

By the time the spanking was done Zack had cried himself to exhaustion. His throat was raw and his eyes stung, and his fingers ached from gripping Angeal's trouser leg. He almost didn't notice when the man stopped, rubbing circles in his back.

'That's it,' Angeal said above him and a wave of relief washed over him.

'Now...'

Zack's heart jumped as his guardian lifted his right leg, tilting him forwards until the underside of his bottom and his thighs were exposed. Zack gasped, suddenly remembering the image of Angeal, sitting in the same chair, three fingers raised.

'Angeal!' he squeaked in dismay.

'You know the rules, kiddo,' Angeal said firmly. He raised his aching hand once more and slapped the very middle of Zack's sit-spot.

'Argh!'

*SMACK*

'Arrrgh!'

*SMACK*

'Owww!'

*SMACK*

'Noooo, Angeal sto-'

*SMACK*

'OWWW!'

Angeal thoroughly covered Zack's sit spots and the top of his thighs, working down both legs to the backs of the knees and then back up again. Zack kicked and squirmed, making no attempt to endure the extra punishment in silence. Twenty hard spanks later and he had collapsed over Angeal's lap, dry sobbing and wishing to hell he'd kept his big mouth shut.

Very gently Angeal lifted Zack's boxers up and over the raw skin of his ward's legs and backside, making sure that the elastic didn't graze against the abused flesh. Then he lifted his eldest, cradling him in a hug until he was calm. Then he stood, lifting Zack as he had earlier that day and walked to the corner where Cloud stood in misery. Fresh tear had fallen as he had endured the sounds of his elder brother's punishment and he looked up at the man with pleading in his eyes.

Angeal smiled down at him and ruffled the boy's hair.

'Come on little SOLDIER,' he said, reaching down and scooping Cloud up onto his other shoulder, hugging both boys to him as he made his way up the stairs to their bedroom. There he set Zack down on his bed, leaving him to tuck himself in as he helped Cloud to lie on his belly, his head turned towards him. He gave the blonde hair a stroke once the boy was settled and then leaned down to kiss the boy's forehead.

''Geal,' Cloud shifted in a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure, his eyes already closing in sleep.

'Night, kiddo,' Angeal said, watching the drowsing boy a moment longer before crossing to Zack who lay on his side, facing his guardian. Angeal quirked a mischievous eyebrow at the boy, daring him to object.

Zack rolled his eyes, a smile creeping at the corners of his mouth. So minutely that you might have missed it, he leaned his head forwards.

Angeal snorted in amusement, brushing some stray hairs from the boy's head and then kissing it as he had with Cloud.

'Goodnight, Zack.'

'Night, pops,' Zack smirked, hitching the covers up so high that only his eyes were visible. After a few moments they grey heavy and then closed and silence descended on the room.

Angeal smiled at his two sleeping hellions, sending up for the millionth time that day a prayer of thanks to Gaia for keeping them from harm. He crossed to the door and then turned; his hand on the handle, and then let it fall. He didn't want to be apart from his two boys tonight. He sat, leaning against the door, his arms resting on his knees, watching the two sleeping forms until his eyes grew heavy and he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
